Deputy Vice-Chancellor bids farewell

Charles Darwin University Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Research Training Professor Lawrence Cram will retire at the end of October after 40 years as an academic and researcher.
 
Professor Cram’s research career encompassed the fields of engineering, mathematics, astronomy, physics, computing and higher education policy. Before joining CDU, firstly as a Pro Vice-Chancellor and then as Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Research Training (DVC-RRT), he had an illustrious career at the Australian National University and the University of Sydney.
 
During his time at CDU, he has devoted countless hours giving constructive and insightful feedback to academic staff and supporting Office of Research and Innovation staff, while his experience and openness has been warmly welcomed by the Darwin innovation community.
 
Professor Cram is credited with having raised the visibility of the CDU research portfolio and increasing research income by 34 per cent since 2013.

He helped position the university as an important component in Darwin’s growing innovation ecosystem by forming the relationship with the Darwin Innovation Hub, which led to CDU being a foundation partner. Recently, this foresight and leadership has resulted in additional opportunities such as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program.

Professor Cram also established the Advanced Manufacturing Alliance in partnership with SPEE3D, which led to CDU collaborating on externally funded projects valued at more than $5 million since 2017 and conceptualised and oversaw the Outstanding Professors Initiative that led to the recruitment of three world-class research leaders to CDU.
 
Before joining CDU, Professor Cram served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at ANU between 2004 and 2012. He remains a Visiting Fellow in the Department of Applied Mathematics in the Research School of Physics and Engineering at ANU.
 
Professor Cram’s advice, generosity of spirit and mentorship will be greatly missed by his academic colleagues and by the Senior Executive team.